CGA 103 Course Projects

CGA 103 Projects: A Little Background

In this course you will be asked to complete six design projects in addition to the week course work and lab assignments. Think of these projects as…

You have been hired as a computer graphic artist to design a series of elements for a new marketing program being developed by the Computer Graphic Arts Program Coordinator (Professor Mary). These projects will allow you to express yourself in a creative manner while applying the Six Principles of Design and the Six Elements of Design. You will want to submit your very best work, just like you would in a Graphic Design Firm.

Each of these projects will take you between four and ten hours to complete. If you are finishing the projects in less time, you make want to review your work and rework your designs. If you review the design process, you should be starting with paper sketches and then moving to the computer to create rough designs. As you refine your designs, they will become comprehensives and then final designs ready to present to the client (or submit for a grade).

Project One - Design a New Logo for the CGA Program at GCC

In this project, you will create THREE unique logo designs for the Computer Graphics Arts Program at Gloucester County College. Please use the following words:

• Computer Graphic Arts at Gloucester County College Design for Real Life

OR

• Computer Graphic Arts @ Gloucester County College Design for Real Life

The design word, Unique is an adjective that means “existing as the only one or as the sole example; single; solitary in type or characteristics OR being the only one OR being without a like or equal. You can not design one logo and simple change the font and size. This would be an example of one logo.

Please use the Kuler Web Site (kuler.adobe.com) to select a color theme colors that a Complementary Colors.

Please view with PDF file to see examples of three unique designs and poor examples of a unique design.

To complete this assignment, you will need to upload your Adobe Illustrator files to the Project One Dropbox.

You will create THREE UNIQUE poster designs using the same logo. Please submit your three illustrator files to the Project two drop box for grading.

Submission Requirements:

1. Please submit an illustrator, photoshop or indesign files with your designs.

2. An PDF file for each of the designs

Project Two – Design a 11-inch by 17 inch Poster
10 Reasons to Become a CGA Major at GCC

Now that you have designed the three logos, please select the logo that you believe to be the strongest design to use for this project. For this project, you have been hired to create a marketing poster to be sent to the local high schools with reasons why to select the Computer Graphic Arts Program at Gloucester County College. (See list below)

In Adobe Illustrator, PhotoShop or InDesign, please create a tabloid-sized document (11 by 17). Please copy and paste your favorite logo into this document and select 10 reasons from the list below as to why a high school student should select the CGA program at GCC. Please use a consistent color and font theme in this poster. Also, please make sure you are applying the design principles such as emphasis or balance. You can use any graphical element found in Adobe Illustrator and you may bring in high quality graphics from the web. But you may NOT use a Photograph

You will create THREE UNIQUE poster designs using the same logo. Please submit your three illustrator files to the Project two drop box for grading.

Submission Requirements:

1. Please submit an illustrator, photoshop or indesign files with your designs.

2. An PDF file for each of the designs

Select Ten Reasons from this list:
1) Small class sizes – all CGA classes average 18 to 1 student teacher ratio
2) Cool Technology – two CGA labs have new 20 inch iMacs with the Adobe CS3 master collection suite
3) Real Life Design projects – CGA student have the opportunities to create projects from the real world.
4) Community based design projects – students will create design projects that support their community
5) Faculty members who are working professional computer graphic artists.
6) Faculty members who will care enough to challenge you to produce your base work.
7) GCC offers lower cost per credit than other colleges with Computer Graphic Arts programs
8) Campus located close to home – no room and board costs !
9) Two CGA academic programs to choose from – Print and Interactive Media
10) CGA Students can transfer to a four year college (local, regional or national) to complete your bachelor’s degree.
11) All students will learn the latest Web 2.0 technology skills
12) Small class sizes allows students to develop friendships with fellow CGA majors
13) Students develop personal relationships with faculty members that extend beyond the classroom.
14) Classes are held in a Labture (a combination of lecture and lab) format to maximize student learning
15) All students will develop professional presentation skills.
16) CGA students at GCC are the best prepared computer graphic artists in the region
17) High quality liberal arts classes with small classes sizes and caring professors

Project Three – Book Cover Redesign

Please find a book that needs it's cover redesigned. There are hundreds of books published each year and many have very poor cover designs.

In Adobe Illustrator, PhotoShop or InDesign, please create the size of the book cover (please use the same size). You can use any design elements such as line, texture, color, text, graphics or photos.

You will create THREE UNIQUE of the book cover designs using the same logo. Please submit your three files to the Project three drop box for grading.

Submission Requirements:

1. Please submit an illustrator, photoshop or indesign files with your designs.

2. Please submit a copy of the original cover design. (You can always take a photo and send in the JPG file)

Project Four – Newsletter

Now that you have designed the three logos, please select the logo that you believe to be the strongest design to use for this project. For this project, you have been hired to create a marketing newsletter to be sent to the local high schools with reasons why to select the Computer Graphic Arts Program at Gloucester County College.

In Adobe Illustrator, PhotoShop or InDesign, please create an 8.5 by 11 inch page for the newsletter. You can use any design elements such as line, texture, color, text, graphics or photos. The newsletter will have the ten reasons from the poster listed in a small graphics box. The newsletter will include one or two "fake" articles on the program. You can copy and paste any article you find from the web as the "fake" articles.

You will create THREE UNIQUE of the newsletter designs using the same logo. Please submit your three illustrator files to the Project four drop box for grading.

Submission Requirements:

1. Please submit an illustrator, photoshop or indesign files with your designs.

2. Please submit a copy of the original cover design.

Project Five – Resume Design

Pretend that you have complete your degree in Computer Graphic Arts from Gloucester County College. Now it is time to find a job as a working computer graphic designer. As an artisit, your resume will be different from graduating students such as a nursing majors or a business majors. Our resumes should show off our graphics design abilities and look really graphically cool!

In Adobe Illustrator, PhotoShop or InDesign, please create an 8.5 by 11 inch page for the Resume. You can use any design elements such as line, texture, color, text, graphics or photos. The resume should include the following sections: Education (including your high school and college), Software Proficiencies, Work Experience and References.

You will create THREE UNIQUE of the resume designs. Please submit your three files to the Project Five drop box for grading.

Submission Requirements:

1. Please submit an illustrator, photoshop or indesign files with your designs.

2. Please submit a copy of the original cover design.

Project Six – CGA Banner

Using your favorite logo from Project One, you will create a web site banner for the CGA web site.

In Adobe Illustrator, PhotoShop or InDesign, please create a web site graphic using 1024 pixels by 300 pixels high. Please copy and paste your favorite logo into this document. Please use a consistent color and font theme in this banner. Also, please make sure you are applying the design principles such as emphasis or balance. You can use any graphical element found in Adobe Illustrator, PhotoShop or InDesign and you may bring in high quality graphics from the web. But you may NOT use a Photograph!

You will create THREE UNIQUE web banner designs using the same logo. Please submit your three illustrator files to the Project Six drop box for grading.

Submission Requirements:

1. Please submit an illustrator, photoshop or indesign files with your designs.

2. Please submit a copy of the original cover design.